Story planning
Coping with overwhelm
When I launched my Storytelling Edit newsletter at the beginning of this year, I didn’t have a plan. I’d been procrastinating for ages about it. What should I write about? What could I say that hasn’t already been said? How could I do my client work, look after three kids, hang out with my husband, carve out some time for me AND write a monthly blog plus newsletter?
But I knew I had to do it.
Why?
Because writing helps me make sense of the world. When I write, I connect with people. When I write, I’m forced to research topics in more depth. When I write, I read more. Obviously, writing is my job. I write all the time for my clients and for publications. But writing for my own website, for you - my lovely readers - makes me better at my job. It helps me clarify my thoughts on the dark art of communications, giving me the tools and the knowledge to help my clients with all of their copy and storytelling needs.
As email and Insta superstar Helen Perry says, there is so much noise out there. But that shouldn’t put you off from adding to the noise. Indeed, receiving something curated and (hopefully) interesting will help people who are struggling to make sense of all the noise.
Maria Prymachenko, Our Army, Our Protectors (1978)
So, I just went for it. Wrote some thoughts and pressed send. But this month, I realised, through the process of writing (and re-writing) my March newsletter, that I needed a plan. I was trying to rush things. I wasn’t thinking things through. I didn’t have a focus. Every time I sat down to write my newsletter, news of the war in Ukraine would take over my thoughts. I’d spend ages trying to figure out my take on the situation, and then the news would shift; more horror would emerge, and I was struggling to cope. I was overwhelmed.
I reckon many of you are feeling the same. So here’s what I’m going to do:
Plan
The current precariousness in the world affects us all, but absorbing all the conflicting information and coming up with an angle that is relevant and unique to your business is tricky.
So you have to ask yourself, what is the point of your communications? Are you there to support, inspire, educate? If you have a good comms plan in place, and you know your audience, you’ll know that they’ll have specific needs, especially during these dark times. They might need advice on how to communicate, inspiration on how to show solidarity, ideas for raising funds, tips on the right tone to use in copy, the opportunity to donate money in return for goods or services.
I loved the World’s Shortest Social Media Summit, launched by the Two Lauras, for instance. It was a lovely way to raise funds, but it was also useful and informative for the people who follow them.
So, my top tip is to go back to basics. Revisit your comms plan and think about adjusting it for the current situation. Using the five Ws helps. Here are my answers, for example.
Q: Who are you talking to/ writing for?
A: Fellow writers, future ideal clients (lifestyle brands, local businesses, start-ups and creative entrepreneurs).
Q: What are their needs and how can you help?
A: People need advice on writing techniques and inspiration on how to keep communicating when the world has gone mad.
Q: Where are you going to say it? Social, newsletter, website, PR etc?
A: My focus, for the time being, is my newsletter and my website but I’ll re-purpose some of those ideas on social and am exploring podcasts and PR as a long-term goal.
Q: When are you going to say it? Daily, weekly, monthly?
A: Weekly social posts, fortnightly newsletter/ blog.
Q: And the most important one… Why? Why should they care? What’s in it for your customers?
A: Ultimately, I want to connect with people. And I want to help them with their writing. My newsletter aims to demystify the writing process and give you practical advice on how to plan and write for your channels, which will bring you closer to your customers. It will also give you confidence - writing is often seen as a daunting task, but once broken up into practical steps, it’s really not that hard.
Have perspective
OK, so I had my plan, my sense of purpose. I then realised I needed some perspective. I had to be realistic about what I could achieve with my own writing. My client work needs to take priority (otherwise there really is no point) so writing my own newsletter and blogs can’t become too all-encompassing.
Which is why I’m going to write little and often (every fortnight). I’ve set aside a day to write but I’ve also set up a document to collect (or “magpie”) stories I come across as I work. And I’ve created a structure for each newsletter, which should make coming up with ideas easier.
So, each fortnight, you can expect:
STORIES YOU CAN TELL - tips, advice and story ideas for the coming months.
STORIES I’M LOVING - my pick of the best storytelling I’ve seen from brands, small businesses and creatives.
LAST WORD - a round-up of books, quotes, and writers I’ve met or discovered that have brought me joy.
Persevere
Keep talking. Saying nothing is not the solution. The news paralysed me earlier this month, and that’s OK because it led me to this point of thinking and planning and progress. But it’s crucial to communicate in times of crisis. Tell your customers what you’re doing to help, how you’re feeling, what your thoughts are. No matter how irrelevant our emotions are in the context of this war, I think it’s important to be open and honest.
Also, what might seem irrelevant to you might be helpful to someone else. We’re in an age where our mental wellbeing is fundamental to who we are and how we work. So if you’re hurting, if you’re finding it all too much, acknowledge it but don’t let that stop you from doing what you do best, whatever that is.
One good thing that’s giving me hope is the way the global community has come together, yet again. We did it in pandemic times, so it’s only natural that the world has united against the senseless violence and destruction Putin has unleashed in Ukraine. Yes, we should also support other countries in a crisis like Syria and Yemen (and going forward I will certainly be paying more attention) but this war is different. It’s closer and the stakes are much higher.
The stories coming out from Ukraine are horrific, but I’ve also loved getting to know these incredible people. Their strength, their determination, their passion is beautiful and heart wrenching to see. Communication is key. Keep telling those stories.
“Here’s the thing about humans: we tend to lose steam about a certain topic after a couple of weeks. There’s too much information at our fingertips, so in an act of self preservation, we stop sharing and writing and scrolling and reading. It’s just too much. Our brains aren’t really built for this. So here’s a reminder. Take breaks. Listen to music. Have drinks and dinner parties. This is a marathon, not a sprint. We need the channels to still be authentic and pure.”
Tetyana Denford, proud Ukranian mother and writer
Photo by Johan Nilsson on Unsplash
